Impact of YAQ001 on the Gut Microbiome, Permeability and Markers of Systemic Inflammation in Patients With Cirrhosis
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: ABSTRACT Background & Aims YAQ001 is a novel, non‐absorbable, gut‐restricted, multiporous, carbon bead adsorbent. Pre‐clinical studies and a clinical trial suggested its therapeutic potential and safety in patients with cirrhosis. This substudy aimed to explore the effects of YAQ001 on the gut microbiome and their exploratory association with biomarkers of gut permeability and systemic inflammation. Methods Twenty‐eight‐patients with cirrhosis were randomized (double‐blind) to receive YAQ001 (4 g once daily) or placebo. Gut microbiome and biomarkers of inflammation and gut permeability were assessed at baseline, after 4 and 12 weeks. Changes in biomarkers and relationship with microbiome composition and gene profiling were assessed. The effect of YAQ001 on Klebsiella pneumoniae biofilms was assessed in vitro. Results Overall alpha and beta diversity remained unaltered. YAQ001 increased the abundance of bacteria associated with improved gut health such as Adlercreutzia equolifaciens , a bacterium commonly depleted in liver disease, and decreased the abundance of bacteria associated with infections and poor outcomes such as Klebsiella pneumonia , and Streptococcus mutans . YAQ001 impacted positively on virulence factors such as siderophores, fimbriae structures, and lipopolysaccharides that are associated with inflammation and invasion. Antibiotic resistance genes decreased significantly in the YAQ001 group. These changes were associated with a reduction in markers of gut permeability and systemic inflammation. YAQ001 prevented K. pneumoniae biofilms in vitro. Conclusion YAQ001 was associated with favourable compositional shifts and trends towards reduced virulence‐related gene signatures in the gut microbiome, alongside trends towards improved inflammatory biomarkers. The in vitro anti‐biofilm effect of YAQ001 warrants further mechanistic investigation. The findings position YAQ001 as a potential microbiome therapeutic.
Source: Liver International
DOI: 10.1111/liv.70933
Authors: Jinxia Liu, Fernando Garcia-Guevara, Jane Macnaughtan, Yi Jin, Ainhoa Ferret, Frederick Clasen, Nicholas Yuen, Ramón Garcia Maset, Javier Ramón-Azcón, Annarein JC Kerbert, Theo Portlock, Javier Martinez, Abeba Habtesion, Alexandra Phillips, Francesco De Chiara, Ganesh Ingavle, Tom Baldwin, Cesar Jimenez, Giacomo Zaccherini, Katherine Husi, Miguel Rodriguez-Gandia, Paul Cordero-Sanchez, Junpei Soeda, Jude A Oben, Karen Church, Jia V. Li, Aarti Jalan, Adria Juanola, Elsa Sola, Simon Eaton, Carrie Morgan, Thomas Avery, Michal Kowalski, Daniel Green, Amir Gander, Lindsey Ann Edwards, I. Jane Cox, Helena Cortez-Pinto, Reiner Wiest, Francois Durand, Paolo Caraceni, Roberto Elosua, Joan Vila, Marco Pavesi, Vicente Arroyo, Nathan Davies, Rajeshwar P Mookerjee, Victor Vargas, Susan Sandeman, Gautam Mehta, Julian R. Marchesi, Agustin Albillos, Jennifer L. Rohn, Fausto Andreola, Saeed Shoaie, Rajiv Jalan
Institutions: The Royal Free Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, University College London, King's College London, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia, University of Oxford, Universidad de Alcalá, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria, University of Brighton, Vall d'Hebron Hospital Universitari, Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas, IRCCS Azienda Ospedliero-Universitaria di Bologna Policlinico di Sant'Orsola, University of Bologna, University Hospital of Bern, Symbiosis International University, Yaqrit Limited (United Kingdom), Hammersmith Hospital, King's College Hospital, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Consorci Institut D'Investigacions Biomediques August Pi I Sunyer, Universitat de Barcelona, Imperial College London, Guy's Hospital, Foundation for Liver Research, University of Lisbon, Université Paris Cité, Hôpital Beaujon, European Foundation for the Study of Chronic Liver Failure, St Mary's Hospital, Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal
Language: English
Topic: Gut microbiota and health
Subfield: Molecular Biology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,780
Funders: Wellcome Trust, National Institute for Health and Care Research, British Heart Foundation, Imperial College London, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, King's College London, National Natural Science Foundation of China, Horizon 2020 Framework Programme, NIHR Imperial Biomedical Research Centre
Awards: G1127292530, King’s NMR Facility for structural biology, metabolic profiling and drug discovery, G3693129563, G4365905886, Funding to support the purchase of 800MHz and 600MHz spectrometers and resources for automation in the Centre for Biomolecular Spectroscopy (Joint funding with Wellcome Trust), G495187929, G522893879, G5988158908, G7019732145, King’s NMR Facility for structural biology, metabolic profiling and drug discovery
OpenAlex ID: W7223155506